Strong Songs

Music: it's good. On each episode of Strong Songs, host Kirk Hamilton takes listeners inside a piece of music, breaking it down and figuring out what makes it work.

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Episodes

The Beatles, Brubeck, Bond and Beyond

It's time for an extra-long episode as Kirk answers your questions about Phil Collins drum solos, musical Wilhelm screams, odd time signatures, Beatles instrumentation, drop-tuned guitars, Bond music, and much more. REFERENCED/DISCUSSED: "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins from Face Value , 1981 Jennifer Hudson sings "The Star Spangled Banner" by Frances Scott Key and John Stafford Smith at Super Bowl XLIII, 2009 A YouTube compilation of the Wilhelm Scream An excellent Vox video on the history ...

Jan 23, 2019•49 min•Season 1Ep. 6

"Thriller" by Michael Jackson

Darkness falls across the land, and it's the right time for Michael Jackson's "Thriller." Kirk picks apart Rod Temperton's dance floor classic in all its groovy, corny, sound effect-y glory. Band/Artist: Michael Jackson Album: Thriller, 1982 Composed by: Rod Temperton Produced by: Quincy Jones Listen/Buy via Album.Link ------ A NOTE FROM KIRK: It’s been a couple months since I produced this episode, and just a few days since I watched the first part of “Leaving Neverland,” a devastating new HBO ...

Jan 09, 2019•30 min•Season 1Ep. 5

"I Wish" by Stevie Wonder

Ever wish you could just be a kid again? Stevie does. Kirk breaks out the bass and digs into what makes Stevie Wonder's "I Wish" swing like it does, then looks back to some earlier Wonder tunes to guess at why his funkiest stuff tended to be in E-flat. Band/Artist: Stevie Wonder Album: Songs in the Key of Life, 1976 Composed by: Stevie Wonder Listen/Buy via Album.Link ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED: "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder, from Talking Book , 1972 "Higher Ground" by Stevie Wonder, from Inner...

Dec 26, 2018•27 min•Season 1Ep. 4

"Single Ladies" by Beyoncé

On this episode, Kirk dives into one of the greatest pop songs of all time. Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" is arguably the defining song of the last decade, but it's far from your average pop tune. With its unusual tensions and unstoppable groove, it defies safe harmony and resolution, and its composers were more than happy to flip the beat and leave their audience searching for the downbeat. Band/Artist: Beyoncé Album: I Am... Sasha Fierce, 2008 Composed by: Beyoncé Knowles-Carter...

Dec 12, 2018•26 min•Season 1Ep. 3

"You Can Call Me Al" by Paul Simon

This week, Kirk breaks down one of his favorite songs from one of his favorite albums. Paul Simon's "You Can Call Me Al" was a single from his incredible 1986 album Graceland , and its music video introduced a generation to the wonders of goofy lip-synching and fretless bass solos. It's a harmonically simple tune with a cleverly dense arrangement, and brilliantly uses musical layering. Band/Artist: Paul Simon Album: Graceland, 1986 Composed by: Paul Simon Listen/Buy via Album.Link ----LINKS-----...

Nov 28, 2018•18 min•Season 1Ep. 2

"Africa" by Toto

On the first episode of Strong Songs, Kirk breaks down Toto's hit song "Africa," a single so good that it still lights up the Internet today. Band/Artist: Toto Album: Toto IV , 1982 Composed by: David Paich and Jeff Porcaro Listen/Buy via Album.Link ----LINKS----- 💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS! Patreon | Paypal 🏠 HOMEPAGE strongsongspodcast.com 👚 MERCH strongsongspodcast.com/store 📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER newsletter.kirkhamilton.com 📷 SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: @Kirk_Hamilton Bluesky: @kirkhamilton.com 💬...

Nov 18, 2018•22 min•Season 1Ep. 1

Trailer

This is the trailer for Strong Songs, recorded in June of 2020. Hope you give the show a listen! ----LINKS----- 💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS! Patreon | Paypal 🏠 HOMEPAGE strongsongspodcast.com 👚 MERCH strongsongspodcast.com/store 📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER newsletter.kirkhamilton.com 📷 SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: @Kirk_Hamilton Bluesky: @kirkhamilton.com 💬 STRONG SONGS DISCORD SERVER strongsongspodcast.com/discord 🎧 STRONG SONGS PLAYLISTS Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music 🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS ...

Nov 14, 2018•1 min

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